Insert for treating fluids and gases

ABSTRACT

Insert body for contact tower for fluids and gases comprising honeycombed channels separated by walls formed with recesses for cross flow of fluid or gaseous streams.

United States Patent 1 Streck 51 Apr. 3, 1973 [54] INSERT FOR TREATINGFLUIDS AND GASES [75] Inventor: Friedrich Streck, Hamburg, Germany [73]Assignee: Rigips-Stempel GmbH & Co. KG,

Dietzenbach, Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 75,108

[52] U.S. Cl .....261/95, 261/112 51 Int. Cl. ..B01r 3/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..261/l12; 210/150; 161/68 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Axelson et a1 .Q ..l6l/68 3,505,030 4/1970 Sowards ..l61/682,815,795 12/1957 Vander P061 ..161/68 3,225,509 12/1965 May ....161/683,018,205 1/1962 Barut ....161/68 2,809,818 10/1957 Munters 261/1123,265,550 8/1966 Lindqvistum ..21/112 3,402,105 9/1968 Sze 261/1123,135,297 6/1964 Nordberg at al. 161/68 3,533,894 10/1970 Engelbrecht eta1. ....l61/68 3,272,484 9/1966 Brand 61 al. ..261/112 PrimaryExaminer-Tim R. Miles Assistant Examiner-Steven H. MarkowifzAttorney-McDougall, Hersh & Scott [57] ABSTRACT Insert body for contacttower for fluids and gases comprising honeycombed channels separated bywalls formed with recesses for cross flow of fluid or gaseous streams.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 3 I975 SHEET 1 OF 2 Inventor.-f/WIEDP/CH Jrpzc/r PATENTEDAPRB I975 3,724,825

' sum 2 BF 2 I IHIIIIIIIIIII SQ IIHIIIHIHIII IIIIIHHHIIII INSERT FORTREATING FLUIDS AND GASES This invention relates to an insert for use inthe gaseous treatment of fluids and comprises an insertion body in theform of honeycombed channels separated by means of thin walls.

It is known from the prior art to make use, as inserts in apparatus inwhich a material and/or heat exchange is adapted to take place between afluid and a gas, especially in cooling towers with irrigation cooling,honeycombed insert bodies having channels, preferably of hexagonalshape. In such insert bodies, the fluid trickles over the walls of thechannels from top to bottom and is brought into contact with anascending gas, air or the like gaseous medium. One disadvantage ininserts of the prior art is that no contact occurs between the gas andliquid in a cross-current direction because the channels limit both ofthe media to parallel flow in direct current or counter current flow.

It is an object of this invention to design inserts having channelsextending in one direction but in which cross-current cooling and/ortreatment can be effected with transverse gas flow and it is a relatedobject to produce such inserts for cooling towers and the like.

These and other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear, and forpurposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments of theinvention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of an insertion body embodyingthe features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the insertion body shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 3a are schematic elevational view of insertion bodies ofthis invention illustrating the crosscurrent flow of the fluid and/orgas;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an insertion body with Y- shaped wall means;

FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to that of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective elevational view of the Y-shaped wallmeans;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a honeycomb body package with recesses;

FIG.'8 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 7 showing amodification of the honeycomb body package with modification in therecess arrangement;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a still further modification in therecess arrangement for the honeycomb body package; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic view which shows three insertion bodies of thisinvention in an assembled relation.

Solution to the problem in prior art insertion bodies is effected inaccordance with the practice of this invention by providing the wallmeans with recesses.

The recesses in the wall means of the channels makes it possible for twomedia such as liquid and/or gas, to contact one another in cross-currentflow. Such crosscurrent treatment is particularly effective for manypractical cases. Preferably the fluids flow in the direction of theforce of gravity, whereby the longitudinal axes of the channels extendin the direction of the water perpendicular or almost perpendicularthereto, in which the gases also flow.

In accordance with the practice of this invention, it is alsoadvantageous to install the insert bodies so that the longitudinal axesof the channels extend parallel to the direction of the forces ofgravity. By selecting correspondingly large recesses and alignment ofthe insertion bodies, the treatment time and intensity can be influencedwithout change in flow rate of the media. The inserts find advantageoususe in treatment of sewage water to produce a biological lawn whereinthe inserts are used in counter-current application. As a result of therecesses in the wall means, the path of flow of the fluid is extended,the time of sojourn of the dirty water during treatment is increased,and the admixture with oxygen is improved.

In another desirable embodiment of 'this invention, the walls areremoved from at least part of the insert body, and in each case, only adouble wall in staggered rows remains. The staggered rows of doublewalls operates to break up the fluid current and enhance the intimatecontact between the media in treatment.

In another embodiment, the recesses scan partial areas of the wall meansand the remaining honeycomb body walls are of Y-shape which areeffective to break up the fluid current by change of direction andthereby increase the effectiveness of the system.

An advantageous method for producing the insertion bodies of thisinvention consists in providing the honeycomb body package with recessesand then subsequently expanding and fixing the expanded sections. It ispossible to cut the recesses in the honeycomb body package with precisedimensions and depth or to mill the recesses into the package withoutdebilitation of the insert body.

In a further embodiment of the invention, at least two insertion bodiesare interconnected by friction and/or form lock. The insertion bodiescan be easily assembled and can be arranged in several layers superposedone on another and/or juxtaposed in side by'side relation. If, in thisconnection, the individual channels are staggered in relation to oneanother, the cooling or treatment effect is further enhanced by breakingup the transverse flow of the cooling or fluid medium.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a honeycomb insertionbody 1 in which the lower portion is provided with channels 2 havingnon-discontinuous wall means. The wall means of the upper portion of theinsert 1 are partially fragmented to provide recesses 3. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the recesses 3 are so large as to eliminateside walls 4, 5, 6, and 7. This provides a structure consisting ofparallel double walls 8 arranged in staggered rows.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of honeycombs 2 in which only the double walls 8,which are present only in the front portion, are marked by a thick solidline.

FIGS. 3a and 3b represent two examples of an as- I sembly of honeycombbodies of this invention. As shown in FIG. 3a, the fluid and gas engageone another in cross-current flow. This gives a very good cooling effectby reason of the good intimate contact between the media. Even bettercooling or contact is achieved when the honeycomb bodies are installedto.incline against each other, as in FIG. 3b. In this arrangement, thefluid current is broken up more frequently. One part flows almostvertically downwardly while another part flows through that portion ofthe honeycomb bodies having solid wall means and then to the subsequenthoneycomb body.

The insert described in the above embodiments is also applicable to thedesigns illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

In the design of FIG. 4, the bottom portion consists of honeycombsections with solid wall means. The upper portions have recesses 3 and9. The wall means are Y-shaped in each case as represented more clearlyin FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view which shows the breaking up of the fluidstream at three Y-shaped structures of the invention. The channels 2 ofthe honeycombs with nondiscontinuous wall means located behind theY-shaped structures are now shown.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate honeycomb body packages 10 prior toexpansion. The recesses 9 are cut or milled in spaced rows along oneside in FIG; 7, or alternatively in both sides with the recesses in oneside offset from the recesses in the opposite side, as shown in FIG. 8,or in both sides with the recesses aligned, as in FIG. 9 in whichinstance the recesses are of lesser depth than when staggered in orderto maintain the integrity of the body.

The depth of the recesses can be varied but it is undesirable to providefor a depth that will interfere with the ability of the remainingportion of the non-discontinuous wall means to provide the insert bodywith sufficient solidity or rigidity.

Thestructures shown in the figures will result or other structures ofthe discontinuous wall means will result fromthe packages shown,depending somewhat on the width of the recesses.

FIG. 10 shows several honeycomb bodies arranged in a cross-currentcooler. The individual layers are preferably staggered, assembledagainst each other and compressed whereby the individual layers gripeach other by way of friction or form locking to provide an assembledrelation.

The honeycomb bodies may be formed of cellulose, paper, metal or plasticfoil or laminates or other such material impregnated or coated withsynthetic resins.

It will be understood that changes can be made in the construction andarrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention,especially asdefined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An insert for treating fluids with gases comprising an insert bodyformed of honeycombed cells and 0pposing spaced wall means extendinglongitudinally from and integral with the cells to define recessestherebetween to permit cross-current flow in the recesses.

2. An insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the cells are formed withdouble walls integral with the wall means, with the wall means includinga double wall portion defining a Y cross-section.

3. An insert as claimed in claim 1 in which at least two insert bodiesare interconnected in side by side and/or superposed relation.

4. An insert as claimed in claim 1 in which the insertion bodies areformed of a material selected from the group consisting of cellulose,paper, metal foil, plastic film, laminate, and other sheet stockimpregnated or coated with synthetic resin.

1. An insert for treating fluids with gases comprising an insert bodyformed of honeycombed cells and opposing spaced wall means extendinglongitudinally from and integral with the cells to define recessestherebetween to permit cross-current flow in the recesses.
 2. An insertas defined in claim 1 wherein the cells are formed with double wallsintegral with the wall means, with the wall means including a doublewall portion defining a Y cross-section.
 3. An insert as claimed inclaim 1 in which at least two insert bodies are interconnected in sideby side and/or superposed relation.
 4. An insert as claimed in claim 1in which the insertion bodies are formed of a material selected from thegroup consisting of cellulose, paper, metal foil, plastic film,laminate, and other sheet stock impregnated or coated with syntheticresin.